The following Reed Smith lawyers received 2026 “Lawyer of the Year” recognition: 

• S. Brian Farmer, Richmond, Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law
• Ronald L. Francis Jr., Pittsburgh, Corporate Law
• Stephen J. McConnell, Philadelphia, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
• Casey Ryan, Pittsburgh, Employment Law – Management
• Timothy R. Rupp, Orange County, Mergers and Acquisitions Law

“Lawyer of the Year” awards are presented to attorneys with the highest overall peer-feedback for a specific practice area and geographic region. Only one lawyer is recognized as “Lawyer of the Year” for each practice area and location.

In addition, 151 other Reed Smith lawyers from across the United States were recognized for their achievements in a wide variety of practice areas. Notably, several of these lawyers were honored in multiple categories.

Among those with the highest number of recognitions are international arbitration lawyer José Astigarraga, who was listed in five practice areas; Daniel Booker, recognized for his work in antitrust law and bet-the-company litigation, also with five listings; and S. Brian Farmer, “Lawyer of the Year” for leveraged buyouts and private equity in Richmond, with six listings. 

The complete list of recognized lawyers is as follows:

Atlanta

• Anthony Boggs, Tax Law
• Cindy Davis, Banking and Finance Law
• Scott L. Marrah, Criminal Defense: White Collar and Commercial Litigation and Corporate Compliance Law and Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy)
• Adria Perez, Criminal Defense : White Collar
• Amie Singer, Corporate Law

Austin

• Benjamin Koplin, Health Care Law
• R. Jeffrey Layne, Health Care Law and Litigation - Health Care
• Rebecca Jones McKnight, FDA Law

Chicago

• Monique Bhargava, Advertising Law
• J. Michael Brown, Banking and Finance Law
• James T. Hultquist, Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Intellectual Property and Trade Secrets Law
• Mel Justak, Trusts and Estates
• Michael LoVallo, Trusts and Estates
• Thomas Marrinson, Insurance Law
• Steven A. Miller, Criminal Defense: White-Collar
• Stanley Nardoni, Insurance Law
• Robert Newman, Advertising Law
• Brian Roche, Trade Secrets Law
• Carolyn H. Rosenberg, Insurance Law and Litigation – Insurance
• Bradley S. Schmarak, Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• John D. Shugrue, Insurance Law
• John Vishneski III, Insurance Law

Costa Mesa, Calif.

• Timothy R. Rupp, Corporate Law and Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• John F. Simonis, Real Estate Law

Dallas

• Omar J. Alaniz, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Keith Miles Aurzada, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Litigation – Bankruptcy
• Elizabeth Brandon, Litigation - Securities and Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Michael P. Cooley, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Litigation – Bankruptcy
• Alfred G. Kyle, Banking and Finance Law and Real Estate Law
• Paulo B. McKeeby, Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Brian C. Mitchell, Litigation - Banking and Finance
• Nigel R. Stark, Technology Law
• Sarah Cummings Stewart, Health Care Law

Denver

• Christopher R. Mosley, Commercial Litigation and Insurance Law and Litigation – Insurance
• Jay Spader, Corporate Law
• Brooke Yates, Commercial Litigation and Insurance Law and Litigation - Construction and Litigation - Insurance

Houston

• Efren A. Acosta, Corporate Law
• Kenneth E. Broughton, Commercial Litigation
• Peter J. Chassman, Litigation - Intellectual Property and Litigation - Patent and Patent Law
• J. James Cooper, Insurance Law
• Craig R. Enochs, Derivatives and Futures Law and Energy Law
• Gary C. Johnson, Oil and Gas Law
• Paul D. Moak, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Commercial Litigation and Litigation – Bankruptcy
• Benjamin H. Patton, Environmental Law
• C. Stanton Perry, Energy Law and Oil and Gas Law
• Edward E. Rhyne Jr., Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law
• Robert R. Riddle, Litigation - Intellectual Property and Patent Law
• Francisco Rivero, Arbitration and International Arbitration – Commercial
• William W. Russell, International Arbitration – Commercial
• Ronald Jason Scharnberg, Tax Law
• Chris Watt, Commercial Litigation and Litigation – Construction
• R. Alan York, Appellate Practice

Los Angeles

• Terry B. Bates, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Plaintiffs
• Kasey J. Curtis, Appellate Practice
• Amber S. Finch, Insurance Law
• Benjamin Fliegel, Insurance Law
• David M. Halbreich, Insurance Law
• Marsha A. Houston, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Marilyn A. Moberg, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• David Stone Phelps, Real Estate Law
• Douglas C. Rawles, Insurance Law
• Alexandra A. Roje, Insurance Law
• James L. Sanders, Criminal Defense: White-Collar
• Michael Sanders, Health Care Law
• Stephen E. Sessa, Entertainment Law – Music
• Kim M. Watterson, Appellate Practice

McLean, Va.

• James C. Brennan, Real Estate Law
• Benton Burroughs Jr., Corporate Law
• Calvin H. Cobb III, Litigation - Trusts and Estates and Trusts and Estates
• Robert Diamond, Community Association Law
• Thomas W. Greeson, Health Care Law
• James E. McNair, Trusts and Estates
• Gregory J. Rupert, Tax Law
• Katherine J. Seikaly, Criminal Defense: White-Collar

Miami

• José I. Astigarraga, Arbitration and Commercial Litigation and International Arbitration - Commercial and International Arbitration - Governmental and Litigation - Banking and Finance
• Felipe Berer, Corporate Law and International Mergers and Acquisitions
• R. Hugh Lumpkin, Insurance Law and Litigation – Insurance
• Edward M. Mullins, Appellate Practice and Commercial Litigation and International Arbitration - Commercial and International Arbitration – Governmental
• Francisco A. Rodriguez, Arbitration and International Arbitration – Commercial
• Matthew Weaver, Insurance Law

New York

• Evan T. Barr, Criminal Defense: White-Collar
• Keri S. Bruce, Advertising Law
• Mark S. Goldstein, Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Cheryl E. Hader, Trusts and Estates
• Samuel S. Lee, Real Estate Law
• Joseph M. Marger, Real Estate Law
• Taila L. Martin, Real Estate Law
• Louis M. Solomon, Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Intellectual Property
• Robert Vilter, Energy Law
• Peter Williams, Securitization and Structured Finance Law

Palo Alto, Calif.

• Katherine M. Basile, Litigation - Intellectual Property

Philadelphia

• Nicole J. Aiken-Shaban, Health Care Law
• Arthur R. Armstrong, Insurance Law
• James N. Boudreau, Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Luke E. Debevec, Insurance Law
• John N. Ellison, Insurance Law
• Scott M. Esterbrook, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Financial Services Regulation Law
• David J. Gutowski, Tax Law
• Timothy P. Law, Insurance Law
• James S. Lawlor, Banking and Finance Law
• Stephen M. Lyons III, Real Estate Law
• Joseph J. Mahady, Criminal Defense: White-Collar
• Stephen J. McConnell, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants and Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• S. William Richter, Banking and Finance Law
• Matthew D. Rosso, Insurance Law
• Kyle O. Sollie, Tax Law
• Thomas H. Suddath, Jr., Corporate Compliance Law and Criminal Defense: White-Collar and Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy)
• Matthew E. Tashman, Banking and Finance Law and Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
• Lee A. Zoeller, Litigation and Controversy - Tax and Tax Law

Pittsburgh

• Jeffrey G. Aromatorio, Corporate Law
• Nicolle R. Snyder Bagnell, Commercial Litigation and Energy Law and Oil and Gas Law
• Daniel I. Booker, Antitrust Law and Bet-the-Company Litigation and Commercial Litigation and Corporate Law and Litigation – Antitrust
• Douglas E. Cameron, Insurance Law
• Paul Didomenico, Litigation - Real Estate and Real Estate Law
• James M. Doerfler, Construction Law
• Ronald L. Francis Jr., Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Brad A. Funari, Commercial Litigation
• Jennifer M. Gardner, Corporate Law
• Megan S. Haines, Litigation - Environmental and Oil and Gas Law
• Jason E. Hazlewood, Commercial Litigation
• Brian T. Himmel, Insurance Law
• Leo N. Hitt, Litigation and Controversy - Tax and Tax Law
• Courtney C. T. Horrigan, Insurance Law
• Dusty Elias Kirk, Real Estate Law
• Justin J. Kontul, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants
• Michael A. Kostiew, Real Estate Law
• Alex M. Lacey, Commercial Litigation
• Lucas Liben, Energy Law and Oil and Gas Law
• James C. Martin, Appellate Practice
• David J. McAllister, Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Matthew Mck. Mohn, Corporate Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law
• Andrew J. Muha, Insurance Law
• Traci S. Rea, Commercial Litigation
• Jared S. Roach, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Financial Services Regulation Law
• Andrew M. Roman, Insurance Law
• Dominic Rupprecht, Insurance Law
• Casey Ryan, Employment Law - Management and Labor Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
• William J. Sheridan, Litigation – Antitrust
• Paul M. Singer, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Bet-the-Company Litigation and Litigation – Bankruptcy
• Luke A. Sizemore, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Commercial Litigation
• Jennifer Smokelin, Environmental Law
• George L. Stewart II, Insurance Law
• Arnd Von Waldow, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
• Jeffrey M. Weimer, Commercial Litigation
• Justin H. Werner, Energy Law and Oil and Gas Law
• Colin E. Wrabley, Appellate Practice

Princeton

• Daniel F. Peck, Jr., Banking and Finance Law

Richmond

• S. Brian Farmer, Corporate Law and Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law and Mergers and Acquisitions Law and Private Funds / Hedge Funds Law and Securities / Capital Markets Law and Venture Capital Law
• Betty S.W. Graumlich, Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment

San Francisco

• J. David Bickham, Commercial Litigation
• John P. Bovich, Litigation - Intellectual Property and Litigation – Patent
• Raymond A. Cardozo, Appellate Practice
• Michele Haydel Gehrke, Employment Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment
• Seth B. Herring, Litigation - Intellectual Property
• William R. Overend, Litigation - Intellectual Property
• Robert N. Phillips, Trademark Law
• David E. Weiss, Insurance Law

Washington, DC

• Selina P. Coleman, Health Care Law and Litigation - Health Care and Qui Tam Law
• John P. Feldman, Advertising Law
• Carol Colborn Loepere, Health Care Law
• Joseph W. Metro, Health Care Law
• Kelley C. Miller, Litigation and Controversy - Tax and Tax Law and Trusts and Estates
• Stephen T. Raptis, Insurance Law
• Frederick Robinson, Health Care Law and Qui Tam Law
• Gerard M. Stegmaier, Privacy and Data Security Law

Wilmington

• Kurt F. Gwynne, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Litigation – Bankruptcy
• Brian Rostocki, Commercial Litigation

Best Lawyers publications and supplements provide coverage of local news, insights, and profiles on relevant topics, both regionally and internationally. Its method of selecting lawyers is based on peer review.